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[2026] Comdot Yamato's merchandise closely resembles TXT Yeonjun's "GGUM"? Summary of the apology process
2026.06.11 09:20
Yamato, the leader of the popular YouTuber group Comdot, apologized on Instagram on June 10, 2026, after it was pointed out that his merchandise was strikingly similar to the merchandise for TXT member Yeonjun's solo work "GGUM." He admitted that he had "copied too much" and stated that he would remake the merchandise.
[2026] Comdot Yamato's merchandise closely resembles TXT Yeonjun's "GGUM"? Summary of the apology process
table of contents
- Summary of this incident
- What is Comdot Yamato?
- Details of the problematic merchandise
- Similarities between TXT Yeonjun's "GGUM" merchandise and other items.
- Yamato's apology
- Online reactions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. A quick summary of the current situation
Q. Why did the Comdot Yamato merchandise become a problem?
A. It has been pointed out that the design of the keychain that Yamato showed on his Instagram Stories is strikingly similar to merchandise related to TXT member Yeonjun's solo work "GGUM".
Q. How did Yamato respond?
A. They apologized, saying, "We definitely copied it too much. We'll remake it immediately," and announced that they would remake the merchandise.
Q. What is the design of the merchandise in question?
A. This is a rubber strap shaped like a character wearing a black hoodie and blowing a pink bubble gum bubble.
2. What is Comdot Yamato?
Comdot is a five-member YouTuber group boasting 4.25 million subscribers. Yamato is the leader and appears in many of the group's videos as its face. An event was scheduled from August 17th to 23rd, 2026, and it appears that the problematic item in question was prepared as related merchandise for that event.
| item | detail |
| Group Name | Comdot |
| Number of members | 5 people |
| YouTube channel subscriber count |
4.25 million people (as of June 2026)
|
| The role of Yamato | leader |
| @com.yamato |
3. Details of the problematic merchandise
On June 9, 2026, Yamato posted a photo of a palm-sized rubber strap on his Instagram Stories. The strap featured a character wearing a black hoodie and blowing a pink bubble gum bubble in his mouth.
In response to this post, numerous comments on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out that it was "strikingly similar to Yeonjun's GGUM merchandise," drawing criticism from both within Japan and internationally. One post garnered such a large response that it recorded nearly 4.2 million views.
4. Similarities with TXT Yeonjun's "GGUM" merchandise
"GGUM" is a solo mixtape released in September 2024 by Yeonjun, a member of TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT). The visuals featured a character wearing a hood and blowing a bubble with gum, and merchandise such as keychains and figurines featuring this character were also sold.
| Comparison items |
Yeonjun "GGUM" merchandise
|
Yamato merchandise |
| Item types |
Keychains, figurines, etc.
|
Rubber strap |
| Character's outfit |
Black hoodie (with hood)
|
Black hoodie (with hood) |
| Characteristic pose |
Blow a bubble with bubble gum.
|
Blow a bubble with bubble gum. |
| color |
Pink bubble gum
|
Pink bubble gum |
It should be noted that in 2025, merchandise designed by Sunghoon of ENHYPEN also faced problems for being strikingly similar to the same character, so this is not the first time that Yeonjun's "GGUM" character has been imitated.
5. The content of Yamato's apology
Following the widespread criticism, Yamato updated his Instagram Stories again on June 10th and offered an apology.
🔗 From Yamato's Instagram Stories
In the post, he wrote, "To the fans of TXT and Yeonjun, I am so sorry for causing you any discomfort. I definitely copied it too much. I will remake it immediately," admitting that the designs were very similar. He also expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much to everyone who kindly pointed it out to me," and called out, "I will redouble my efforts towards August 17th to August 23rd."
6. Online reactions
Yamato's apology drew further criticism online. The phrase "We admittedly plagiarized too much" was particularly criticized.
Many users interpreted the phrase "As expected" as implying that the original design was known and that the imitation was intentional, leading to comments such as, "Is that how you apologize?" and "I'm sure he knew." Furthermore, many pointed out that Yamato followed Yeonjun on social media and had posted TXT's songs to his stories, suggesting he must have been aware of the original source material.
The reaction spread from fans overseas, with some calling on his agency to protect Yeonjun's rights.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. When did the Comdot Yamato merchandise issue come to light?
A. On June 9, 2026, Yamato posted a photo of merchandise on Instagram Stories, and on the same day, numerous people on X pointed out the striking similarity. The following day, June 10, Yamato posted an apology.
Q2. What kind of work is TXT Yeonjun's "GGUM"?
A. This is a solo mixtape released by YEONJUN in September 2024. It features a character wearing a hood and blowing a bubble with gum as its iconic visual, and related merchandise was also released.
Q3. What has Yamato said about the merchandise?
A. They have stated, "We will remake it immediately." They have indicated their intention to completely redesign it from scratch for the event scheduled for August 17th to 23rd, 2026.
Q4. Did Yamato himself make the statement in this matter?
A. Yes. Yamato himself has apologized and explained the situation on his Instagram Stories. No official statement from his group or agency has been confirmed at this time.
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